The Pocket Watch
by Doll Girl
Summary: Dedicated to David Ogden Stiers. Cogsworth has a day full of reflection and eventually his pocket watch finally stops.


The clock ticked slowly in the kitchen in the early morning as Cogsworth enjoyed a pot of tea as he did every morning. His thoughts drifted in the stillness before the usual chaos that inhabited the castle.

His kind brown eyes gazed into the fireplace and he was instantly reminded Lumiere...his friend that had passed on fourteen years prior due to sickness. He remembered the days leading up to that last breath...the care he and everyone else had tried to give.

Then he remembered Fifi finding out she was pregnant and how she begged him to stay so that he could see her.

Sadly...he never got to hold his daughter..but he did get to see her from a distance. Cogsworth himself had stood at the doorway and holding the baby to show the dying father.

Lumiere had named her Anya and died an hour later.

Cogsworth remembered the somber funeral. Prince Adam had been in tears as he embraced his tearful wife. He too had shed silent tears...vowing to take care of Lumiere's family and he kept that vow. Anya was a lady of fourteen years now and she was always told about her father and his light.

The old englishman shook his head. Why was he thinking about Lumiere now? He pulled out his old pocketwatch and frowned noticing that it was getting even slower.

Much like he had been lately. Old age had started slowing him down a bit and he wasn't as anal about small things as he used to be. He glanced at his cane...a gift from the prince after he had taken a dreadful fall a year ago that broke his hip. Now he limped around...still doing his duties as Head of Household. He had thought of retirement but as much as that rest would be good he knew that eventually he'd get bored with nothing to do.

Adam assigned him a helper. Chip Potts proved to be able to do good work and keep the attention and morale of the staff high. It was that reason the Cogsworth had started training him to become Head of Household.

He looked up and nodded in greeting to Pierre...the Maitre'D who had taken Lumiere's position. The poor man had dealt with being compared to Lumiere many times throughout his career until he was able to make a name for himself within the castle. He was quite friendly and loved to cook and serve.

"Bonjour Monsieur Cogsworth! Would you like a meal prepared? You cannot work on an empty stomach!"

Cogsworth chuckled! "I would actually. What is on the menu for today?"

Pierre was about to respond when he suddenly stopped and seemed to be in thought. "Perhaps...something from your home country?"

"I haven't had British cuisine in so long…" Cogsworth said. "Are you certain?"

"Of course Mon ami!" the man said smiling brightly as he got to work!

Cogsworth blinked in surprise wondering what had gotten into him. He hadn't been called "Mon ami" by anyone since...well since Lumiere…

After a delightful meal Cogsworth began to attend to his duties. All day he felt a presence nearby as if he was being watched over...as if someone was waiting…

At around noon Cogsworth looked at his pocket watch and frowned once more. It was close to stopping completely.

The presence created a warmth around him and around mid afternoon it seemed to guide him to the garden. He sat on a bench and listened to the small waterfall and breathed in the smell of the roses. He smiled feeling at peace.

Then his eyes caught sight of a beautiful yellow rose in full bloom. He stared at it for several minutes...mind drifting again to the past.

This time Lumiere was giving Chip a lesson on what the different types of roses meant. The yellow one...was for friendship…

Cogsworth reached out and gently touched the flower before letting go...wincing as arthritis made his hands sore.

He checked his watch and this time...it had stopped completely…

Almost instantly he felt a sharp pain in his chest and he cried out before sinking to the ground! He clutched his chest…

"It's alright Mon ami…"

He looked up in shock to see Lumiere kneeling beside him. "It is your time my friend...I'm here to take you home…"

In an instant the pain stopped and Cogsworth found himself standing over his own body. He looked at his old friend. "It's good to see you…"

Lumiere chuckled. "You as well Mon ami…! Now come...it is time…"

He nodded as they embraced before fading away.

Within the castle every clock chimed signalling the castle that something was amiss. They found the body and Adam sadly ordered for a casket and a funeral.

His pocketwatch was fixed and given to Chip...and it became something to be passed down as a symbol for Head of Household.


End file.
